Is Eric McCormack gay? The rumors, explained

There are so many things that Will & Grace star, Erin McCormack has willingly shared about himself —that he used to be a manager at Baskin-Robbins, that he once performed in front of Notre Dame with a mime, the revelation that his wife Janet Holden is a “real camper,” etc.

But being a celebrity comes with the peril of a few curious minds wanting private information pertaining to their personal life, and in McCormack’s case, enter the long-standing rumors that he is actually gay.

While it provides no consolation, McCormack is not the only celeb out there who keeps tackling speculations and intrusive questions directed at his sexuality — on one hand, Hugh Jackman’s recent split from his wife sparked his sexual status from time to time.

The fact that McCormack and his wife, Janet Leigh Holden, are splitting after more than 26 years of marriage has only fueled the speculations once again.

What sparked rumors of Eric McCormack being gay?

NBC’s pioneering sitcom, Will & Grace, brought about a revolution by being one of the first network shows to present openly gay characters. But while Sean Hayes, who plays Jack and Will’s best friend in the series is openly gay, McCormack is not. The actor has even looked back at the show’s decision to rope him in to play a gay man, something he is happy to know won’t happen in today’s era of diversity and inclusivity.

Throughout the show’s eleven seasons, Will dated many men and eventually ended up with McCoy Whitman, played by Matt Bomer, who is openly gay in real life. Evidently, it was all enough to give rise to speculations about McCormack being gay, even though he was married to Janet Holden a year before the show started.

The rumors got brand new wings when the actor — who is an avid er of same-sex marriage — hilariously kissed his Will & Grace co-star, Hayes, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the show’s reboot back in 2017. Of course, his Will Truman also returning to the screens further ensured that any lingering logic left the chat of those huddled together to judgment on his private life.

So, is Eric McCormack gay? That’s a question only he gets to answer, when — and moreover, if — he wants to.